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2 Hydrates - What are they? Gas Hydrates are solids formed from hydrocarbon gas and liquid water They resemble wet snow and can exist at temperatures above the freezing point of water They belong to a form of complexes known as clathrates

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3 Clathrates - What are they? Clathrates are substances having a lattice-like structure or appearance in which molecules of one substance are completely enclosed within the crystal structure of another Hydrates consist of host molecules (water) forming a lattice structure acting like a cage, to entrap guest molecules (gas) CH 4 (most common), CO 2, H 2 S form hydrates

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a methane hydrate lattice Methane Hydrate stability diagram -methane hydrates can occur at water temperatures up to 30°C, if the pressure is high enough -stable over most of ocean floor! redrawn after Kvenvolden (1993)